Thus, the claim that this is recommended requires evidence. As for the claim that it is obligatory, it contradicts the mass-transmitted Sunnah of the Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the consensus of the Companions. The report attributing a contrary view to ‘Alī, may Allah be pleased with him, is not established; rather, what is established from him is the opposite.

‘Alī, may Allah be pleased with him, is far too eminent for a matter like this to have escaped his knowledge. Fabricated reports attributed to ‘Alī are numerous and well known—more numerous than those attributed to others. Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, despite his extensive knowledge of the reports from the Companions and the Successors, denied that there was any disagreement on this matter.

Ahmad ibn al-Qāsim said:

“I asked Ahmad about someone who offered more than five prayers with a single ablution. He replied, ‘There is nothing wrong with that, provided his ablution remains unbroken. I did not think anyone had objected to this.’”

Al-Bukhārī narrated in his Sahīh from Anas, may Allah be pleased with him:

“The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, would perform ablution for every prayer. I asked, ‘What did you yourselves do?’ He replied, ‘A single ablution would suffice for any of us so long as he did not invalidate it.’”

This concerns the five daily prayers offered separately. For this reason, Ahmad held this to be recommended according to one of his two opinions, even though the Prophet would sometimes offer several prayers with a single ablution. As related in Sahīh Muslim, Buraydah, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

“On the day of the Conquest, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, offered five prayers with a single ablution and wiped over his leather socks. ‘Umar said to him, ‘I